The New Nation - Internet Edition

A Press Conference regarding 'Code of Conduct for the Employers for Informal Child Labour Sector' was held in Hotel Abokash auditorium December 18 organised jointly by Together with Working Children (Shromojibi Sishuder Sathe Amra) TWC and Save the Children Sweden-Denmark SCSD.

Ms. Geeta Chakroborty from Ain 0 Saalish Kendro. presented the titled paper at the conferencc disseminating information on the issue gathered through survey and filed work of TWC partner NGOs.

Ms. Nishat Afroz Mirza of SCSD, Ms. Moslema Bari, Executive Director, Community Participation & Development (CPD), Fazlul Haque Chowdhury, General Secretary.

Social & Economic Enhancement Programme (SEEP); Ms. Shahin Akter Doli, ED, Naari Moitree; Shah Alam Manik. INCIDIN Bangladesh; Tipu Sultan, Society for Underprivileged Families (SUF) attended as the representatives of TWC partner NGOs.

The speakers stated child labour as one of the severest forms of exploitation and abuse throughout the world today. They said it had been widespread in Bangladesh mainly in the agriculture and industrial sector. With accelerating urbanisation. child labour is on the increase at informal sectors too. Given the state of poverty, children are frequently used as a means of financial support and even to provide mobility for poor families.

According to national statistics, there are 7.4 million (National Child Labor Survey 2002-2003 done by ILO and Bangladesh. Bureau of Statistics) working children in our country with an age bracket of 15-17. 93 pc them are engaged in the informal sector. Bangladesh has ratified the CRC but economic policies have not brought any significant reduction in child labour.

Given the reality. NGOs together as TWC have taken initiatives to develop and introduce a code of conduct for the employers in the informal child labour sector, which will ultimately guard the employers' standards of behaviour.

Not only would it be a guideline for the change in present exploitative conditions of children the speakers at the conference told. The discussants shared their experience. exchanged views with the journalists. answered to their queries and put focus on different related issues at the conference.

Together with Working Children (TWC) is a network of six NGO's working for the children. They are working in light of the UN convention regarding children.